Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. cultivar Dueroyal.
The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Poinsettia plant, botanically known as Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd., and hereinafter referred to by the name xe2x80x98Dueroyalxe2x80x99.
The new Poinsettia is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Rheinberg, Germany. The objective of the breeding program is to create new Poinsettia cultivars with uniform plant habit and attractive flower bract coloration.
The new Poinsettia originated from a cross made by the Inventor of a proprietary selection of Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. identified as code number 94-513-8, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent, with a proprietary selection of Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. identified as code number 95-867-1, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The cultivar Dueroyal was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in a controlled environment in Rheinberg, Germany. The selection of this plant was based on its attractive flower bract coloration and uniform plant habit.
Asexual reproduction of the new Poinsettia by vegetative terminal cuttings taken at Rheinberg, Germany, has shown that the unique features of this new Poinsettia are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of xe2x80x98Dueroyalxe2x80x99. These characteristics in combination distinguish xe2x80x98Dueroyalxe2x80x99 as a new and distinct cultivar:
1. Inflorescences with bright red-colored flower bracts.
2. Medium green-colored leaves with red purple-colored petioles.
3. Uniform and rounded plant habit.
4. Early flowering; response time, about eight weeks.
5. Excellent post-production longevity.
Compared to plants of the female parent, the selection 94-513-8, plants of the new Poinsettia are more compact, have darker green leaves, and have more intense red-colored and smoother flower bracts. Compared to plants of the male parent, the selection 95-867-1, plants of the new Poinsettia are more uniform in plant habit and have smoother flower bracts.
Plants of the new Poinsettia can be compared to plants of the cultivar 490, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 7,825. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Rheinberg, Germany, plants of the new Poinsettia differed primarily from plants of the cultivar 490 in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Poinsettia had shorter internodes than plants of the cultivar 490.
2. Plants of the new Poinsettia had more leaves per lateral branch than plants of the cultivar 490.
3. Plants of the new Poinsettia had slightly smaller flower bracts, but more flower bracts per inflorescence than plants of the cultivar 490.
4. Plants of the new Poinsettia had larger cyathia clusters and more cyathia per corymb than plants of the cultivar 490.